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Late goal stuns Bedford in final

Swampscott scores with 6 seconds left to send Buccaneers to the exit

By Bobby Doherty, Sun Correspondent

Updated:
03/10/2013 08:53:33 AM EDT

STONEHAM -- Bedford High and Swampscott faced off in the MIAA Division 3 North boys hockey championship game here on Saturday, with Swampscott winning a thrilling game, 3-2, breaking Bedford's heart in the process with a goal in the waning seconds.

The game was held at a packed Stoneham Arena.

Swampscott got the game-winning goal with only 6 seconds left in regulation, a shot from the point with a lot of traffic out front eliminating Bedford.

Brendan Flynn had scored Bedford's first goal, knotting the game at 1-1 on what a hockey player would call a dirty goal. Flynn found the puck in a crowd out in front of the net and banged it home.

Bedford had plenty of chances to take control of the game. Going 0-for-3 on the power play didn't help, as coach Mark Fontas talked about that after the game, saying "The power play had been good for us all season long, you get into a game like this and emotions and nerves take over."

Anthony Lespassio scored what looked like it could be the game-winning goal midway through the third period on the prettiest goal of the game. It was a simple breakout pass up the left wing side that ended two passes later in the back of the net.

Then tragedy struck for Bedford. With only two mintues left to play an attempted rush left a few Bedford skaters caught up ice.

" I just kept saying to the kids get back to basics," said Fontas. But this was one instance where the Buccaneers fell short.

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Swampscott turned the odd-man rush into easy transition and scored on a shot from the point. "Nine times out of ten (Bedford goalie Abe Grainger) saves that one," said Fontas.

The game looked to be headed for overtime until Swampscott established some serious offensive zone time with under a minute to play. Once again a shot from the point produced a rebound and Nunzio Morretti lit the lamp to clinch the Division 3 North title for Swampscott.

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